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Getting Setup with iChat
SETTING UP ACCOUNTS
Classroom teachers will need an AIM screen name in order to use iChatAV in our project.
1. First, go to http://my.screenname.aol.com/
2. Click on Get a Screen Name on the right hand side of the page.
3. You will now see Create a Screen Name. Fill out the boxes and write down your screen name and password. Then Click Submit.
4. You will now be able to use this screen name and password in iChatAV. You can send your friends your screen name so you can be added to their Buddy List. Be sure to check your email, as you will receive confirmation of your screen name and password as soon as you are approved.
5. If you use a Mac, you can use iChatAV. If you also use PCs, you may want to download AIM. The download is available from http://www.aim.com/
CONNECTING TO iCHAT
More information for K-12 Teachers can be found below. (Including information on firewalls)
iChat should open when you turn on the computer. Note: The user must open Internet Explorer/Mozilla/Safari and log into Nomad when you are on NC State's campus and attempting to connect to the wireless network. This should allow iChat to automatically connect you. If it does not connect you then go to iChat on the top bar and click on Log in to AIM OR click the iChat icon in the dock at the bottom of the screen.
You can check to see that your iSight camera is working properly by clicking on the green camera button at the top of the Buddy List. If iSight focuses automatically and an image from the camera appears on the screen, then it is working properly. A green light means that the iSight is capturing video and is in use.
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Note: If you don't see an image, check to be sure iSight is firmly plugged in. Also check to be sure the lens is open. To open the lens, rotate the lens ring so the two circles are aligned.
Once you know the iSight is connected properly, close the "My iSight" window.
CONNECTING WITH A BUDDY
Click on the buddy's green camera with whom you want to chat. This will send them an invitation to connect with you. If the buddy has no videocamera, you can still chat with them, you just won't be able to see each other. You will know that you are connected when the other party appears. You can make the window fill the entire screen by clicking on the green plus sign. To make the window regular sized again you press escape.
When a buddy sends you an invitation to chat click on the green camera that appears and click accept. You must to this to connect to the buddy so that you can chat.
If you are connected to a buddy and want to hear them but do not want them to hear you for an extended period, then you can disable the microphone by clicking on the microphone icon at the bottom of your connection window. If you click this microphone again it will enable your microphone and your buddy will be able to hear you.
Note: To close a window, select the red button on the top left corner of the window. To minimize, select the yellow, and to restore or open, select green. To quit the iChat, close the window, then go to the iChat menu and select "Quit iChat." You can shut down the computer by clicking on the apple and choosing the shut down option.
ADDING A BUDDY
Click the plus sign at the bottom of your buddy list. Click on the tab that says new person. You can either enter a buddy with a .mac account or AIM account. You can choose the account type by clicking on the arrows beside account type. Enter the new buddies name and click Add.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR K-12 TEACHERS
1. Connect your camera to your laptop with the mount and the firewire cable.
2. Turn on the computer. iChat should open when you turn on the computer. If it doesn't, move your mouse to the bottom Dock bar and look for the iChat icon (it looks like a yellow running man in front of a blue dialog bubble). Click on the icon to open iChat.
Note: Your school system may require you to open Internet Explorer or Safari or Mozilla and log into your school's network to connect to the wireless network. This should allow iChat to automatically connect you. If it does not connect you then go to iChat on the top bar and click on Log in to AIM.
3. You should see your Buddy List on your desktop. Your name will show at the top gray part and should say "Available" under your name. If it is not showing, go to the very top bar on your computer screen, open the Window menu and click Buddy List.
4. You can check to see that your iSight camera is working properly by clicking on the green camera button at the top of the Buddy List. If iSight focuses automatically and an image from the camera appears on the screen, then it is working properly. A green light means that the iSight is capturing video and is in use. Under this video window you will see a button called Preferences. Click this to check the microphone settings in the camera. Click the red button at the top of this video screen to exit this.
5. Look at your Buddy List. When you try to connect with us, you would look for mgamiddledata. The name will be in dark print and a green button next to the name. Hopefully, a green video camera icon will be on the other side of the name. Click on the green icon to invite us to videochat. When we accept your invitation, your video picture will shrink and you will see us in the big video window.
Note: If there is not a green video camera icon, have both parties completely shut down the computer, check the connection of the camera, restart, and try again.
6. To make sound louder, look for the F5 key on the top row of your keyboard. You can push that to keep turning the volume up. The F4 key turns the volume down.
7. To make the video fill up the whole computer screen, push the gray button under the video, the one with the two arrows on it. To go back to the small video screen, push the Esc key on the keyboard.
8. When the chat is over, push the red button at the top of the video window (if you see 3 buttons that are gray, move the mouse over the buttons and they will turn colors).
9. Go up to "iChat" on the top menu bar. Choose Log out of AIM. Next, under the iChat menu on the top bar, choose Quit.
**Firewalls and routers**
Some system administrators have set up firewalls to protect information within the school network from those outside the network. If your iChat is not working properly and you suspect (or find) that your school employs a firewall, please see the following link to Apple's help page on Using iChat AV with a firewall or NAT router.
Tutorial
developed by
Brenda F. Carroll, Matthew J. Ross, Tara Stanford, & Susan Watson
URL:
http://ced.ncsu.edu/ltrc/studio/workshops/isight/ichat.html
Last Updated:
Tuesday, June 28, 2005